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Showing posts from February 14, 2021

Early Season Sport Nutrition Tips

For several decades, extensive scientific research has focused on what and when to eat before, during, and immediately after exercise to enhance the adaptive response to exercise. For example, prolonged exercise depletes muscle glycogen storage and breaks down muscle tissue, which increases the risk for fatigue and immunosuppression (greater risk for sickness). Consuming carbohydrates and protein within ~30-minutes after a workout can help you build muscle, store energy, and minimize tissue damage. Unfortunately, nutrient timing is a confusing nutrition topic because most strategies conflict with the “healthy” nutrition advice given by experts regarding weight loss and management. As an example, a fitness enthusiast may be told to restrict dietary carbohydrates around exercise to lower insulin levels. This can help with fat loss. However, insulin is a powerful anabolic hormone and with the help of carbs, it plays a vital role in transporting amino acids, fatty acids or glucose from the...

Is fat burning undermining your performance?

Source The media loves to make nutrition simple. Workout fasted and you burn more fat. If only it was this simple.  When it comes to the physiology of the body during exercise, nutrition is a complex topic. Researchers are still studying the different effects of nutrients, nutrient timing and supplements on exercise and exercise performance. This isn't to say that fat burning doesn't work (it does!) but it's not as simple as not eating carbohydrates before and during a workout.  There's a lot of debate about fasted training, training low, LCHF diets, keto and low carb. Unfortunately, with no middle ground, athletes tend to direct their energy and attention to what's most trendy and popular and for the past few years, carbohydrates have received a bad reputation from the media.  I am a proponent of carbohydrates in the diet. I feel strongly for nutrient timing (eating before/after workouts) and I believe that the use of sport nutrition is critical in optimizing healt...

It's race week - we're going off-road!

  Since December 5th, we have been extremely lucky with our weekend weather. We have been able to ride outside every Saturday morning for the past two months. Although a few of those rides were rather cold, drizzly and windy, the weather seemed to always be in our favor.  This past weekend was a different story. On Saturday morning, it was cold and rainy. Although the trainer is always available for a weather-controlled indoor ride, I craved a change in the routine. Maybe it was meant to be.  Instead of staring at the wall for a few hours, I decided to start my workout with 30 minutes of mobility and strength (with EC Fit On Demand) and then headed out in the light cold rain for a run on my favorite long run loop. Although I wasn't quiet sure how to dress, I found myself comfortable and happy running in the light cold rain. I listened to two triathlon podcast interviews during my run and found delight in dodging the puddles and feeling the wind in different directions as ...